Oil clarifier



Jan. l0, 1933.

B. F. COURT 1,893,581

OIL CLARIFIER `Filed Maron 9, 1932 novel oil' clarifier 5 vertically on the shaft 3.

'Patented Jan. 10, 1933 l BENJAMIN F. COURT, or LoNG BEACH, CALIEORNIA oII-J G LABIFIEB Application led 'March 9,

This invention relates to an oil clarifier and filter particularly applicable to 'internal combustion engines.

.An object of my invention is to provide a of the centrifugal type which is driven by the engine.

Another obj ect is to provide an oil clarifier having a novel driving means therefor whereby the rotating parts will not be inl jured due to sudden starting or stopping of the engine.

Still another object is to provide an o'il clarifier having a noveland effective means of filtering the oil.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawing c Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the filter.

Fi re 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the riving clutch.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my clarifier is driven from .the camshaft 1 of t e engine. A gear diagrammatlcally shown at 2 is attached to the cam shaft at some suitable point. A drive shaft 3 is positioned adjacent to the cam shaft 1 and extends upwardly to the clarifier, as will be subsequently described. A gear 4 is secured to the shaft 3 and meshes with the gear 2, thus rotating the shaft 3.

hen a motor is starting it ordinarily revolves quite rapidly and this sudden rotation would injure t e rotating parts of the filter, so I have provided a clutch 5 in the shaft which does not lengage until the motor is running for a short time' and the clutch is so constructed that it will engage slowly and yieldably, thus gradually starting the rotating parts of the clarifier or filter. The clutch is preferably of the cone type and includes a driving cone 6 which is mounted so as to move A spiral groove 7 is cut in the shaft 3 and a pin 8 in the cone 6 extends into the groove, thus causing the cone to move upwardly and downwardly on the shaft and also partially rotate relative to the shaft. When said shaft is rotated 1932. Serial No. 597,734'.

by the cam shaft, a driven cone 9 is attached to the shaft 4 and an intermediate cone 10 fits within the cone 9 and is adapted to be contacted by the cone 6 which presses the cone 10 against the cone 9.

spring 11 normally holds the cones 9 and 10 separated and this spring is compressed when the cones are in driving position. To positively engage and disengage the cone 6, a fly ball governor is provided, one end of which is at yached to the hub of the cone 6 and the other end is attached to a collar 13 which is journaled to the shaft 4. When the shaft 3 starts to rotate the pin 8 will transmit that rotation to the cone 6 and the fiy ball .governor 12 will start to swing. As the speed increases the governor will move the cone 6 upwardly into engagement with the cone 10 which in turn contacts the cone 9 to drive the shaft 4. A collar 14 on the shaft 3 limits the downward movement Vof the cone 6.

The filter or clarifier 15 consists of a cylindrical housing 16 the top of which is closed by a removable cover 17. The shaft 4 extends to the top of the housing 16 and a gear 18 is attached thereto. This gear meshes with a gear 19 on a jack-shaft 20. A gear 2l is secured to the other end of the Jack-shaft 2O and meshes with a gear 22 attached to a vertical pipe 23. The pipe extends into the housing 16 through a packing gland 24. Y The oil from the engine is pumped into an intake pipe 25 and the oil enters the top of the pipe 23 through a swivel coupling 26 into which the pipe 23 extends. The coupling 26 and pipe 25 are suitably connected or formed together.

An annular filter pack 27 is fitted into the housing'l around the walls thereof, and a second paclg 28 covers the bottom of the housing. A bearing of the housing 16 preferably on arms 30. An outlet pipe 31 extends out of the bottom of the housing and a screen- 32 is provided above the outlet pipe to prevent any of the filter material from entering the outlet pipe. vA plurality of filter trays 33 are mounted on the rotating pipe 23 in spaced relation and these trays each consist of a collar 34 suitably attached to the pipe.

29 is mounted on the bottom Upper and lower lto start to rotate,

screens 35, 36 enclose a fibrous filter material' 37.

The pipe 23 is provided with a plurality of slots 38 out of which the oil passes on to the trays 33 and thence'into the filter packs 27 and 28. The .trays 33 revolve with the pipe 23, and consequently the oil is thrown by centrifugal force into the filter pack 27. The oil gravitates downwardly through pack 27 into the pack 28 and then flows out through the pipe 31. A reservoir cone 39 is positioned at the t'op` of the housing 16 and is stationary in said housing. A bearing 40 surrounds the ipe 23 and is attached to the cone 39.

A plurality of outlet holes 41 are provided in the cone-39 from which the oil can pass into the filter pack 27. The cone receives any excess oil and is fed through a port 42 from the pipe 23. The bottom of` the pipe 23 is closed so that the oil must fiow out of v"the ports 38 or 42. In operation when the engine is started, the cone 6 will gradually rise to engage the cone 10, the spring 11 is then compressed and the cone 9 and the shaft 4 through the gears previously described, the pipe 23 then starts to rotate. The oil is being pumped into the pipe 25 and thence into the top of the pipe 23. The oil flows downwardly through the ports 38, thence over and through the trays 33, thence into the pack 27, downwardly through this pack and finally flows outthrough the pipe 31 back to the crank case of the engine. When the filter becomes saturated with dirt, the cover 17 is removed together with the pipe 33 at which time the trays can be cleaned and the filter packs 27 and 28 can be renewed.

Having described my invention, I claim:

'-1. An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, clutch means in said drive shaft, a housing, a pipe extendin into said housing, gear means extending rom said shaft to said pipe whereby said pipe is rotated, an oil intake pipe extending to the top of said first named pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of said housing, an annular filter pack in said housing, said first named pipe having ports therein through which the oil is expelled, and a plurality of superimposed filter trays on said first named pipe'.

2. An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, clutch means in said drive shaft, a housing, a pipe extending into said housing, gear means extending from said shaft to said pipe whereby said pipe is rotated, an oil intake pipe extending to the top of said first named pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of said housing, an annular filter pack in said housing, said first named pipe having ports therein throu h which the oil is expelled, and a plurality o superimposed filter trayson said first named pipe, said trays comprising 'upper and lower screens and a fibrous filter material between said screens.

3. An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, clutch means in ysaid drive shaft, a housing, a pipeA extending into said housing, gear means extending from said shaft to said pipe whereby said pipe is rotated, an oil intake,pipe extending to the top of said first named pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of said housing, an annular filter pack in said housing, said first named pipe having ports therein through which the oil is expelled, a stationary reservoir cone at the top of said housing, said cone surrounding the first named pipe, and said first named pipe having an outlet port within the cone.

,4. An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, clutch means in said drive shaft, a housing, a pipe extendinv into said housing, gear means extending fjrom said shaft to said pipe whereby said pipe is rotated, an oil intake pipe extending to the top of said first named pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of said housing, an annular filter pack in said housing, said first named pipe having ports therein through which the oil is expelled, and a plurality of superimposed filter trays on said first named pipe, a stationary reservoir co'ne at the top of said housing, said cone surrounding the first named pipe, and said first named pipe having an outlet port within the cone.

5. An oil clarifier forinternal combustion `engines comprising a drive shaft, clutch means in said drive shaft, a housing, a pipe extendin into said housing, ear means eX- tending rom said shaft to sai pipe whereby said pipe is rotated, an oil intake pi e vextending to the top of said first name pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of said housing, an annular filter pack in said housing, said first named pipe having ports therein through which the oil is expelled, and a plurality of superimposed filter trays'on said first named pipe, said trays comprising upper and lower screens and a fibrous filter material between said screens, a stationary reservoir cone at the top of said housing, said cone surrounding the,first named pi e, and said first named pipe having an out et port within the cone.

6. An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, automatic' clutch means in said drive shaft, a housing, a pipe extending vertically into said housing, gear means connecting said shaft and said pipe whereby the pipe is rotated, an oil intake pipe connected to the top of the first named pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of the housing, an annular filter pack within said housing, a second filter pack in t'he bottom of the housing, a bearin sleeve in the bottom of the housing into whic izo ' itypoutlet ports therein the first named pipe extends, a plurality of spaced filter trays secured to the first named pipe, said first named pipe having ports therein through which oil is ejected, and a stationary reservoir cone adjacent the upper end of the housing.

7. An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, automatic,

clutch means in said drive shaft, a housing, a pipe extending vertically into said housing, gear means connecting said shaft and .said pipe whereby the pipe is rotated, an oil intake pipe connected to the top of the first named pipe, an oil outlet pipe extending from the bottom of the housing, an annular filter pack within said housing, a second filter pack in the bottom of the housing, a bearing sleeve in the bottom first named pipe extends, spaced filter trays secured to the first named pipe, said first named pipe havingrports therein through which oil is ejected, and a stationary reservoir cone adjacent the upper end of the housing, said lter trays comprising upper and lower screens and a fibrous lter material between the screens.

S. An oil clarifier for a plurality of 7 a housing, a pipe extending vertically into the housing, gear means connecting the drive shaft and the pipe whereby the pipe is rotated, oil supply means connected to said pipe, an outlet pipe extending from the housing, an annular filter pack within the houslng first named pipe, said pipe rality of outlet ports therein oil is ejected.

9.' An oil clarifier for internal combustion engines comprising a drive shaft, drive means from the engine to the drive shaft, a cone clutch in the drive shaft, a fiy ball governor connected to the clutch whereby it is engaged, a ousing, a pipe extending vertically into the housing, gear means connecting the drive shaft and the pipe whereby the pipe is rotated, oil supply means connected tosaid pipe, an outlet pipe extending from the housing, an annular filter ing, a` plurality of filter trays secured to the .first named pipe, said pipe having a pluralthrough .which pipe and positioned adjacent the top of the housing.

In testimony whereof, I affix my si BENJAMIN ature. F. CO RT.

of the housing into which the pack within the hous- 

